Interactive computerized communications systems with voice input and output

ABSTRACT

A computerized system (10) and method for collecting input information from a person connected by telephone (14) to the computerized system (10). The system (10) calls up predetermined audio information to establish a dialogue with the person. An operator (62) dynamically reviews the ongoing dialogues and can modify the set of audio information being used. The system (10) analyzes the correctness of the person&#39;s input information and can request correction of the information or disconnect the person if a predetermined weighted error count is also exceeded. The person&#39;s input information also provides important sales information such as the relationship between the number of sales and the degree of operator involvement with the dialogue, the time of day, week or season of the dialogue and the time required to complete the dialogue.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 852,878, filed Apr.16, 1986, now abandoned.

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method forcollecting information from a person connected by telephone to theapparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a computerizedsystem for collecting input information from a person connected bytelephone to the computerized system by carrying out a conversationaldialogue with the person.

Previous systems for collecting information from a person connected bytelephone to the system have been relatively unsophisticated in themanner of soliciting and collecting input information. The systems aregenerally inefficient in connecting the information and can even resultin collecting useless and misleading information. Furthermore, inprevious systems the dialogue between the person and the system has beenquite stilted and unnatural due to a rigid script presented to thecaller and also due to the inability to respond to circumstances whichlie outside or deviate from the rigid script. In general such systems donot provide the person many options or degrees of freedom during theprocess of collecting information from the person. For example, thecaller might commit errors in answering questions, have questions ofparticular interest or wish to provide information which cannot beaccommodated by the computerized system.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide an improvedcomputerized communications system and method of operation thereof forcollecting input information in a telephone dialogue with a personconnected to the system.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a novelcomputerized communications system enabling a person connected to thesystem various selectable methods of providing input information to thesystem.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved computerizedcommunications system capable of verifying selected information to aparty connected thereto by telephone and also capable of analyzingerroneous inputs or the lack of an input and responding appropriately tothe person.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel computerizedcommunications system for collecting a variety of input information froma person connected to the system with the ability to associate andcorrelate the input information.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improvedcomputerized communications system which has the ability tosimultaneously collect input information from a plurality of differentpersons in a plurality of separate dialogues with the persons, selectingfor use at least one of a plurality of respective associated sets ofaudio message signals.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel apparatus forprogramming a computerized system to automatically collect informationfrom a person connected to the system by telephone.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an improvedcomputerized communications system for collecting information from aperson connected to the system and who can selectively verify, changeand add input information.

In accordance with the invention an apparatus and method are providedfor collecting input information in a telephone dialogue between aperson and a connected computerized system. This system calls uponpredetermined audio information, including computer software programsand prerecorded audio script, to carry out the telephone dialogue. Thecomputerized system enables the collection of the input information,while allowing the person connected to the system various selectableoptional ways of providing the input information to the system, such asby the person speaking directly to an operator, inputting inputinformation to a storage means or by the person inputting data andencoded tones using a Touch Tone keypad on a telephone. The systemefficiently collects a variety of information, such as marketing, salesand shipping information, which can all be associated and correlatedamong each type of information, as well as with the identity of theperson providing the input information. Detailed statistical informationis derivable from this body of input information. This input informationis collected while still maintaining a smooth conversational flow to thetelephonic dialogue by using carefully interspersed periods ofcollecting the input information and deactivating collection of theinput information after detecting preselected periods of silence,wherein the sound level is below a predetermined sound threshold. Thedetected period of silence is typically followed by additional questionsor comments output from the computerized system responsive to thesilence or to receiving a specific response having significance to thecomputerized system. The computerized system further is able toselectively verify input information by asking the person to verify,correct or add to the input information. The accuracy and efficiency ofthe computerized .[.syste.]. .Iadd.system .Iaddend.is enhanced byanalyzing and counting errors in input information, by a process ofcomparing with a set of predetermined caller error counts. Thecomputerized system then is able to respond appropriately to the numberand assigned weight of various types of errors. Appropriate responsesinclude, for example, disconnecting a nuisance call, providing operatorassistance to a calling person or requesting correction of selectedinput information. programming of the computerized system is.[.reasily.]. .Iadd.easily .Iaddend.adapted and customized sincecomputer programs are provided to enable construction in a predeterminedmanner of the complete program from user selected software to implementtelephone dialogues for collecting the input information.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention, together withthe organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparentfrom the following detailed description of the invention when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like referencenumerals designate like elements throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block of hardware for one embodiment of a computerizedinformation collection system;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of steps followed in theprogramming in a predetermined manner of a computerized informationcollection system;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a mode of telephone call capturefor a computerized information collection system;

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating one operational modeof a computerized information collection system; and

FIG. 5 shows the computer program implementation steps of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, a blockdiagram of an automated telephone interrogative system, or acomputerized information collection communications system, constructedin accordance with one embodiment of the invention is indicatedgenerally at 10. The computerized information collection communicationssystem 10 (hereinafter, the computer system 10) is responsive to atelephonically (or other communications devices coupling) connectedperson providing responses, such as an audio response 12, output from atelephone 14 (or other device for communicating with the computerizedsystem 10) and carried over a telephone network 16 which includes acentral office switching station. The audio response 12 is switched tothe telephone number associated with the computerized system 10 by alocal area switch 18, such as for example, a PBX or an automatic calldistributor (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,256 which isincorporated by reference herein). The switch 18 provides an audioresponse signal 25 as the modified form of the audio response 12. Theappropriately directed audio response signal 25 is input to an interfacemeans, such as a telephone interface component 20 (for example, aNovation model 490278, Novation, Inc., and conforming to part numbersixty-eight of the FCC Rules). The telephone interface component 20 isthe initial component in a phone signal processing apparatus 23 to bediscussed below (such as, for example, a CompuFone device, a product ofComputalker Corp., Santa Monica, CA.). The telephone interface component20 transmits the audio response signal 25 and acts as an analog bus toinput the audio response signals 25 to an appropriate device.

The phone signal processing apparatus 23 includes various systemcomponents for operating on different types of inputs and outputs. Inthe case of inputs, for example, the audio response signal 25 isconverted from analog to digital form by an analog to digital converter24. The presence of sounds, such as the human voice or encoded tones, issensed in the form of the audio response signal 25 by a sound detector26. The level of sound sensed by the sound detector 26 will be useful inthe telephonic dialogue between the computerized system 10 and theperson, and this feature will be discussed in more detail hereinafter.The presence of an encoded tone for the audio response signal 25 isdetected by a tone decoder 30 which converts the tone to digital formand will be useful in interpreting tone inputs by the person. A callprogress detector 22 functions to detect ringing, busy, ring backsignals and other signals generated by the telephone network 16.

If the audio response signal 25 is, for example, an encoded tone from apush button tone generating telephone, the encoded tone is input to thetone decoder 30 for conversion (as discussed above) to a decodeddigitized form 31 and output to an input port controller and line driver32 (for example, a component constructed per IEEE 696, or a ComputalkerS-100 Bus Product; Computalker Corp.). The input port controller andline driver 32 (hereinafter, the input controller/driver 32) manages theplurality of various inputs thereto, outputting signals to theappropriate location in the computerized system 10. The inputcontroller/driver 32 is a single direction latch and address decoderwhich decodes the port address and allows the desired data to enter abidirectional bus 40. The data is taken from the tone decoder 30 (orother selected device, such as the sound A/D converter 24, the sounddetector 26 or the call progression detector 22) responsive to commandsfrom a central processing unit 42 (discussed below) to the output portsof the controller/driver 32. The data is then output responsive toinstructions from the central processing unit 42 to a device, such as astorage means. The interconnections between various components include amultiplicity of lines which are indicated by a slash and "M" in FIG. 1.

The collection of input information (by, for example, recording means,such as an audio recorder and controller unit 41 to be discussedhereinafter) from the response of the person and the output of questionsand comments from the computerized system 10 are controlled by computermeans, such as the central processing unit 42 (for example, an AlphaMicro AM-100L, manufactured by Alpha Micro Corporation, whichincorporated a Motorola Corporation MC 68000 central processing unit).The central processing unit 42 communicates through the bus 40 to theremainder of the computerized system 10. The central processing unit 42is coupled to various storage means, such as for example, a memory 46(for example, a RAM and also selectively ROM, PROM, EPROM and PLA) andis preferably an Alpha Micro Corporation AM 720, with 512K byte RAM.Other possible storage means are optical storage discs and magnetictape. Also coupled to the central processing unit 42 is a hard discmemory unit 48 (labelled DSM or digital storage memory in FIG. 1) havingan associated digital storage medium controller (DSMC in FIG. 1) 50 (forexample, an Alpha Micro Corporation, AM-435, 400M byte hard disc unitand controller). The central processing unit 42 can also be combinedwith memory, an arithmetic logic unit and other components; and thecombination can be replaced by any one of a plurality of commerciallyavailable microcomputer units, such as a Mizar 10 or an IBM XT. Analternate storage system can be a video cassette recorder 49, VCRPanasonic PV1225A, and includes a video cassette controller 51, such asan Alpha Micro Corp., AM-610.

Access to the computerized system 10 to monitor, modify, edit or add tothe input information, or to input or construct audio information forthe actual programming of the computerized system 10 (to be described ina separate section) is accomplished through input/output controllers 52(for example, an Alpha Micro Corporation AM-300, six port controller),coupled to various input/output means, such as, a keyboard/CRT terminal54 (for example, an Alpha Micro AM 62A), a printer 56 (for example, anAlpha Micro AM 306) and a mouse/CRT combination 57.

Collection, analysis and editing of the input information, as well asthe programming of the computerized system 10, can also be accomplishedby units to (or outputs through) a mainframe interface link 58 (such as,for example, an IBM 3270PC microcomputer) to (form) a mainfrain computer60. The input information collected from the person by the computerizedsystem 10 can be transcribed by the operator 62 onto the interface link58 directly to the mainframe computer 60 by the conversion into adigital form for analysis, and the input information can, for example,be used for placement of orders. The calls containing preliminary inputinformation, such as telephone number and name, can also be screened bythe operator 62 for call-back or verification by accessing the mainframecomputer 60 through a connection 64. The mainframe computer 60 hasextensive calculational powers, enabling some operations to be performedthat would not be efficiently done or carried out rapidly enough on thecentral processing unit 42.

When the computerized system 10 has been connected with the person by,for example, answering a telephone call from the person, the dialoguetypically begins with the computerized system 10 generating aprerecorded greeting to the person. The central processing unit 42provides a sequence of digitized audio signals 71 responsive topredetermined audio information stored, for example, in the memory 46and the hard disc memory unit 48. The sequence is predetermined to somedegree, but depending on the complexity of branching possible in thecomputer program, there can be a large variety of paths taken by thedialogue in collecting the input information from the person. Inparticular the degree of branching is defined by the predetermined audioinformation and the programmed predetermined manner of operation (thisprocess of programming the computerized system 10 will be described indetail hereinafter).

The predetermined audio information comprises computer softwareexecutable by the central processing unit 42 and prerecorded questionsand comments digitized from a script, with selected portions to bepresented in the dialogue with the calling person. The audio signals 71are output from the central processing unit 42 to the bus 40 whichtransfers the audio signals 71 to an output port controller and a linedriver 72 (hereinafter, the output controller/driver 72) which is asingle direction latch identical in construction and function to theinput controller/driver 32 described hereinbefore. The outputcontroller/driver 72 outputs the audio signal 71 either to the toneencoder 70 (if the audio signal 71 is a digitized tone) or to an audiodigital/analog converter 74 (if the audio signal 71 is a digitized voiceoutput). Both the encoded DTMF output from the tone encoder 70 and theoutput from an audio digital/analog converter 74 comprise audio messagesignals 75. As described hereinbefore, the telephone interface component20 transmits the audio message signal 75 from the computerized system 10for final input to the telephone 14 to provide an audio output to theperson.

Programming of the Computerized Voice Communications Systems

The following discussion sets forth specific examples of programmingfeatures and detailed explanation of these features are set forth in the"Digital Speech Announcer's Manual" attached as an Appendix to the filewrapper of this case.

The computerized system 10 is prepared for collection of inputinformation from the person connected thereby by a user carrying out aprogramming operation in a predetermined manner. The user programs thecomputerized system 10 through a user means, such as the keyboard/CRTterminal 54 or the mouse/CRT combination 57. The user means provides aninput signal 66 responsive to a user input. The user develops a desiredform for the predetermined manner, such as through a script sequence. Inorder to complete the programming of the computerized system 10 in thepredetermined manner, the user also stores commands from the user input66 to call up various computer software programs.

The digitized forms of the user inputs 66 are thus stored in the harddisc storage unit 48 and incorporated as part of the computer programfor implementing the dialogue between the person and the computerizedsystem 10. The programming in the predetermined manner also includeaudio inputs (not shown) from the voice scripts mentioned above,comprising the questions and comments which are recorded by the audiorecorder and controller unit 41 (for example, a Marantz PMD-220 audiocassette tape recorder, Marantz Corporation). The audio inputs aredigitized by digitizing means, such as by appropriate computer softwareor by conventional A/D hardware converters, and stored in the hard discstorage unit 48. The prepared voice script includes the user selecteduniverse of the audio inputs (which become the audio message signals 75)to be output from the computerized system 10 to the person during thetelephonic dialogue. The assembled final program is thereforecharacteristic of the predetermined manner of operation and includes theincorporated user signals 66, the audio inputs and the various computersoftware programs. The assembled program is executed by the centralprocessing unit 42 to perform the telephonic dialogue of collecting thedesired input information from the person.

The predetermined manner of operation is executed with the assistance ofan executive computer program which acts as a master control to guidethe user through the necessry steps for establishing the dialogue,choosing among the alternative selectible courses of the dialogue andselecting from among the options for outputting questions and commentsto the person, as well as the options presented to the person forcollecting input information from the responses of the person. The usercalls up the executive program which then sequences the user through theappropriate command requests to provide for various functionality asdescribed in the specification and in the Computer Software Appendix ofthis specification. The executive program can be written in any one of aplurality of languages, including assembly language, BASIC, or in thepreferred embodiment C-language, FORTRAN, and can operate under aplurality of commercially available operating systems, such as OS-9,CP/M-86, MS DOS, UNIX, or in the preferred embodiment the Alpha Microoperating system, AMOS Revision 1.2 A, and can be executed on any one ofa plurality of commercially available computing systems, such as theMizar 10 or IBM-XT.

In FIG. 2 is illustrated a functional block diagram showing the steps ofprogramming the computerized system 10 in the previously explainedpredetermined manner. The user conceptualizes the application in termsof the desired objective, such as capturing direct response telephonecalls from a plurality of persons. This objective can, for example,arise from insufficient agent capacity to capture a large volume ofcalls within a particular time period or a need to prescreen callsbefore calling back the person. In developing the program application itis important to prepare a general flow diagram for collecting the inputinformation from the person in order to be certain to provide all thenecessary functionalities. A simple example of a flow diagram is a callcapture and call back application shown in FIG. 3. An incoming call fromthe person is input to the switch 18 which routes the call selectivelyto the operator 62 or to the computerized system 10 if all the operators62 are occupied. In some forms of the invention the person, onceconnected to the computerized system 10, is given the option by thecomputerized system 10 to select either the operator 62 or thecomputerized system 10 to complete the call (this feature will also bediscussed in more detail hereinafter). The calls routed directly to theoperator 62 are processed in accordance with the level of interest ofthe person, whereas in the other branch all input information can becollected and stored in the hard disc memory 48 for subsequentscreening.

In developing the program application it is further necessary to developa detailed flow chart as set forth in one example in FIG. 4, wherein thecomputerized system 10 answers the telephone call, a prerecordedgreeting is output, a message counter is incremented to denote therunning count of messages being taken, information is recorded, such asname, address and phone number, a closing statement is output, such as"thank your"; and the computerized system 10 is disconnected from thetelephone line of the person. A program definition step performs thestructuring of the program in a step by step sequencing of commands withappropriate functionalities. When programming the computerized system10, the executive program guides the user through this procedure,including asking the name of the program and revision number and askingwhich software program is to be called up, to be explained and to beincorporated in a user constructed program of the predetermined mannerof operation.

Various examples of computer software programs routinely called upon inthe programming operation (and when executing the final program inoperation of the computerized system 10) are: "ANSWER" which answers acall on a specified ring; "ASSIGN" which associates and correlatesvarious input information for one person; "DECREMENT" which decreases aspecified variable by one; "DELETE which deletes a specific or singlepiece of digitized input information from a hard disc; "DIAL" whichdials a specific phone number; "GOTO" which unconditionally transfers toa specific step number; "HANGUP" which disconnects the person from thecomputerized system 10; "IF" which conditionally transfers the person toa specified step number; "INCREMENT" which increases a specifiedvariable by one; "MAXTIME" which assigns a maximum time in secondsallowed for a caller to provide a specific or single response to thecomputerized system 10; "ONHANGUP" which transfers to a specific stepnumber upon detecting the disconnection of the person during thedialogue; "ONSILENCE" which transfers to a specific step number upondetection of a specified length of silence during the dialogue; "ONTONE"which detects tone entry during the dialogue, interrupting the functionand transferring to a specific step; " READD" which reads numeric datafrom a file into a variable; "RECORD" which digitizes the audioresponses from a person and stores the digitized input information on ahard disc; "SPEAK" which outputs a specified digitized speech file;"SPEAKD" which outputs files selectively from a group of ten speechfiles; "STORE" which assigns the specified value of a numeric constantor variable to another variable; "TONECNT" which allows the entry of aparticular number of DTMF tones from a calling person, to decoding theseinto their numeric value and storing the resulting digits in a variablelocation; "TONEMAX" which sets a maximum time limit for entry of thefirst one; "TRANSFER" which transfers the caller to a specified phonenumber and continues the program; and "WRITED" which saves numeric datafrom a variable into a file. Selected ones of these functions are shownin FIG. 5.

The step of speech definition in FIG. 2 defines speech files and datafiles identified in the program definition step. Speech files are filesidentified by by "DELETE," "SPEAK," "SPEAKD" and "RECORD" functions.Data files are filed identifed by the "READD" and "WRITED" function forstorage of data received from tone responses from the person or othervariables (such as, date and time).

In the step of script preparation and recordation the script contentmust be carefully assembled. The script is recorded either directly overa telephone input to the computerized system 10 or by the separate audiorecorder and monitor 41 (such as the Marantz PMD-220, describedhereinbefore) and then converted to the digitized response signal 27 ina conventional manner and stored in the hard disc storage unit 48. Oncethe digitized response signal 27 is in the hard disc storage unit 48,the central processing unit 42 can access the stored digitized responsesignal 27 and the quality and impression on the listener of the recordedscript can be checked. Monitoring can be performed using thekeyboard/CRT terminal 54 and a coupled audio output device, such as atelephone.

The next step in a programming operation is a program test run. When theuser enters this phase, the executive program requests the program nameand revision number the user wishes to execute. The program thenrequests the date and the channel number on which to accept a telephonecall. As the program is run, the video display of the keyboard/CRTterminal 54 displays the current active step being executed and itsassociated function and operand, as well as associated speech filenames.

In the final step of Run Multiline the computer software used to carryout the dialogue is put into a full operational mode with multiple phonelines and multiple program or dialogue definitions. This thereforeallows the simultaneous collection of input information from a pluralityof different persons through a dialogue between each of the persons andone of a plurality of respective associated sets of the audio messagesignals 75 output from the computerized system 10. Consequently, thecentral processing unit 42 responsive to the predetermined audioinformation stored in the hard disc storage unit 48 providessimultaneously a plurality of the audio message signals 75 with each setprovided to the associated respective person. The sets of the audiomessage signals 75 can selectively be the same set, completely differentsets and mixtures thereof provided to the plurality of differentpersons.

Information Collection Functionality

Operation of the computerized system 10 is carried out by the centralprocessing unit 42 implementing a telephonic dialogue between the personconnected to the computerized system 10. The central processing unit 42is activated upon connection to the person, and the computerized system10 provides a preselected sequence of the audio message signals 75ultimately responsive to the predetermined audio information stored inthe hard disc storage unit 48. The predetermined audio informationpreferably includes in part various computer software programs forperforming selected functions in the dialogue between the person and thecomputerized system 10. In other forms of the invention the computersoftware programs can be replaced by dedicated hardware modules forcarrying out the various functionalities. The computer software programsand the concepts contained therein are described hereinbelow for variousexemplary functionalities, and source code for the various computersoftware programs is included as an Appendix to this specification.

A. Audio Information Input Options

The computerized system 10 includes audio means (such as, for example,the analog to digital audio converter 24, the digital to analog audioconverter 74, the tone decoder 30 and the tone encoder 70 and the sounddetector 26). In the mode of responding to the person, as described inthe hardware discussion, selected components of the audio means operateto output selected ones of the audio message signals 75 from thecomputerized system 10 responsive to the audio signals 71. The centralprocessing unit 42 provides these audio signals 71 responsive to thepredetermined audio information stored in the hard disc storage unit 48.The audio message signals 75 include selectable options for ways inwhich the person can provide the input information to the computerizedsystem 10. These input options presented to the person include, forexample, speaking to an operator 62, speaking to the computerized system10 resulting in storage of the response in .[.digitizal.]. .Iadd.digital.Iaddend.form in the hard disc storage unit 48, and providing encodeddata entries, such as by using tone generating pads of a push buttonform of the telephone 14.

B. Editing Options

In one aspect of the invention the person connected to the computerizedsystem 10 is provided the ability to selectively verify, correct, editand add further to the input information provided by the responses ofthe person. The central processing unit 42 responsive to thepredetermined audio information provides in the audio message signals 75to the person these various selectable options. The computerized system10 can also selectively request verification of the input information,analyze the input information to determine the correctness thereof andinform the person through output of the audio message signals 75 ofapparent errors in the input information or a need for additionalinformation. In another aspect of the invention the user can edit thepredetermined audio information to correct, add or further modify theaudio information. This can, for example, be done by the user, or by theaudio recorder and monitor 41 thru auxiliary audio interface 78.Computer software can be used to implement these functionalities and therelevant computer software programs are set forth in the Appendixmaintained in the file wrapper of this case.

C. Statistical Associated Information

The computerized system 10 is useful for collecting a variety of inputinformation, including, but not limited to, sales of goods or servicesfrom the responses of the person in the telephonic dialogue. During thedialogue the computerized system 10 generates a plurality of preselectedquestions and comments to collect the variety of input information. Thisinput information can include coupled, associated marketing information,sales information and shipping information, The input information forthe particular person is associated and coupled (such as by flagidentification bits for each data entry associated with the person) tothe person throughout various data files (or to some other chosenvariable, such as location or time of day). Thus, cross correlation canbe made to a marketing file concerned with the frequency of telephonecalls and successful sales for various geographic regions and determinedfor different time periods (season, day and time of day).

Association and cross correlation can also be keyed to variables besidesa person, such as geographic region or time. A sales file can beconstructed in terms of sales statistics on the time required tocomplete a dialogue and the number of sales close in the automated modewithout any operator intervention, as compared to partial or totaloperator involvement. Numerous variables can be studied and correlatedto derive optimum sales benefits. Having available this type ofextensive cross correlation ability enables substantial.[.statisticalinformation.]. .Iadd.statistical information .Iaddend. tobe developed from the responses of the persons. Using the mainframecomputer 60, detailed sales and marketing models can be developed usingthe above discussed type of statistical information. Computer softwareto implement these various functionalities is set forth in the Appendixmaintained in the file wrapper of this case.

D. Beginning and Ending of Input Information Collection

In order to be most efficient while remaining conversational during thecollection of the input information in an automatic mode (at least forpart of the time), the collecting means, such as an audio recorder andmonitor 41 is selectively activated upon completing the preselectedquestions and comments. In some forms of the invention, activation ofthe collecting means can also require entry of a security code to gainaccess to the computerized system 10. The collecting means isdeactivated upon achieving one or more predetermined conditionsincluding, for example: (a) exceeding a preselected and user changeablesilence time period while the sound level is below a predetermined audiothreshold level, (b) the person inputting a specific number of userinputs or a particular user response (such as, for example, inputtingten tone entries for a phone number, no tone inputs being provided whensome are expected and entering an improper security code to a systemhaving access limited to appropriate parties) and (c) the personcontinuing to provide responses after a particular time period haselasped. Computer software to implement examples of some of thesevarious functionalities is in the Appendix maintained in the filewrapper of this case.

E. Error Count

The significance and usefulness of the input information provided in thetelephonic dialogue can be scrutinized, both during the dialogue andalso after collecting the input information, by counting andcategorizing errors made by the person. The hard disc storage unit 48,or other such storage device, can store predetermined error countscharacteristic of the number and weight of various errors made in theresponses of the person. The computerized system 10 can be operatedeither to count the errors and later evaluate the input informationand/or to provide feedback in the audio message signals 75 presented tothe person to enable correction of errors, branching to the operator 62for assistance or terminating the call due either to the excessivenumber of errors or to the type of errors.

This functionality can also be coupled to the presence of unexpectedperiods of silence, such as no response at all or an insufficientduration of response to a question. The response expected can also be aDTMF input, a voice input or even a data input. Thus, for example, if noresponse is given after two requests for a name, phone number andaddress, the computerized system 10 could choose to disconnect from theperson. Computer software to implement these functionalities is in theAppendix maintained in the file wrapper of this case.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be understood that changes andmodifications can be made without departing from the invention in thebroader aspects. Various features of the invention are set forth in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computerized communications system forcollecting input information from responses including voice responsesprovided by a person through a telephonic dialogue between the personand said system, comprising:means for storing predetermined audioinformation, said audio information comprising digital data comprisingquestions and statements for carrying out said dialogue with the person;computer means coupled to said means for storing for providing apredetermined sequence of audio signals generated from saidpredetermined audio information supplied from said storing means; meansfor providing a telephonic connection between the person and saidcomputer means, said means for providing a telephonic connectionincluding means for coupling to a telephone network and for providingthe person's responses to the computer means; means coupled to saidcomputer means and to said means for providing a telephonic connectionfor providing an electronically modified form of the person's responsesto said computer means; audio means coupled to the computer means and tosaid means for providing a telephonic connection for outputting audiomessage signals to the person responsive to said audio signals providedby said computer means, said computer means comprising means fordetermining if the person has provided a response and if the response isof sufficient duration and if not, for generating audio signals givingthe person the option to selectively verify, correct, edit and add tosaid input information; and digital storage means coupled to saidcomputer means for collecting the modified form of said inputinformation from the person, said computer means providing selectedportions of said input information stored in said collecting means tothe person during the dialogue for allowing the person the opportunityto selectively verify, correct, edit and add to the input information.2. A computerized communications system for collecting input informationfrom responses including voice responses of a person through atelephonic dialogue between the person and said system, comprising:meansfor storing predetermined audio information, said audio informationcomprising digital data comprising questions and statements for carryingout said dialogue with the person; computer means coupled to said meansfor storing for providing a predetermined sequence of audio signalsgenerated from said predetermined audio information supplied from saidstoring means, said computer means executing a predetermined program ofoperation to generate said predetermined sequence of audio signals;means for providing a telephonic connection between the person and saidcomputer means; means coupled to the means for providing a telephonicconnection and to the computer means for providing an electronicallymodified form of the responses of the person to said computer means;audio means coupled to said means for providing a telephonic connectionand to said computer means for outputting audio message signals to theperson responsive to said audio signals provided from said computermeans; digital storage means coupled to said computer means forcollecting said input information, said computer means comprising meansfor analyzing said input information to determine if the person hasprovided a response and if the response is of sufficient duration and ifnot, for providing a selected audio signal to said audio means toprovide the person with an audio message signal to selectively requestmore of said input information to complete said dialogue, said computermeans further providing selected portions of said input informationstored in said digital storage means to the person during said dialogueto enable the person to determine the accuracy of the input informationstored in said digital storage means.
 3. The system as defined in claim2 wherein said computer means responsive to said predetermined audioinformation provides the person the option of selectively verifying andchanging said input information.
 4. A computerized communications systemfor collecting input information from responses including voiceresponses input by a person in a telephonic dialogue between the personand said system, comprising:computer means; means for completing atelephonic connection between the person and said computer means; meansfor storing predetermined audio information in a digitized form, saidinformation comprising questions and statements for carrying out thedialogue with the person, said storing means electrically coupled tosaid computer means; said computer means comprising means for providinga predetermined sequence of audio signals responsive to the input ofsaid predetermined audio information from said storing means; audiomeans coupled to the computer means and to said means for completing atelephonic connection for outputting audio message signals to the personresponsive to said sequence of audio signals from the computer means andsaid audio means further adapted for presenting the person, in responseto the computer means, with selectable options in said audio messagesignals for providing said input information and for giving the personthe option to selectively verify, correct, edit and add to the inputinformation; and digital storage means coupled to the computer means forcollecting said input information and associating the input informationwith (a) the degree of operator involvement in said dialogue, and (b)the time required to complete said dialogue; said computer meansproviding selected portions of said input information stored in saidcollecting means to the person during the dialogue for allowing theperson the opportunity to selectively verify, correct, edit and add tothe input information; said computer means including means forstatistically analyzing the input information and for correlating theinput information to a file related to the person.
 5. The computerizedcommunications system as defined in claim 4 wherein said inputinformation comprises the number of sales closed.
 6. A computerizedcommunications system for collecting input information from responsesincluding voice responses provided by a person through a telephonicdialogue between the person and the system, comprising:means for storingpredetermined audio information, the audio information comprisingdigital data comprising questions and statements for carrying out thedialogue with the person; computer means coupled to the storing meansfor providing a predetermined sequence of audio signals generated fromthe predetermined audio information in the storing means; means forproviding a telephonic connection between the person and the computermeans; means coupled to the computer means and to the means forproviding a telephonic connection for supplying an electronicallymodified form of the person's responses to the computer means, saidmeans for supplying comprising analog to digital conversion means andmeans for receiving tone signals from the person's telephone; audiomeans coupled to the computer means and to the means for providing atelephonic connection for providing audio message signals to the persongenerated from the audio signals from the computer means, said audiomeans including digital to analog conversion means; digital storagemeans for storing the input information coupled to the analog to digitalconversion means and to said computer means; said computer meansincluding means for analyzing the input information from the person andfor determining if a response exceeds a set maximum time limit or aperiod of silence in the response exceeds a preset minimum time limitsaid computer means further comprising means for evaluating the inputinformation to determine if the person has provided a response and ifthe response is of sufficient duration and if not, for providing aselected audio signal to the audio means to provide the person with anaudio message signal to selectively request more of said inputinformation to complete the dialogue, said computer means furtherproviding selected portions of said input information stored in saiddigital storage means to the person during the dialogue to enable theperson to determine the accuracy of the input information stored in thedigital storage means.
 7. The computerized communications system recitedin claim 6 wherein said computer means comprises means for generatingaudio signals giving the person the option to selectively verify,correct, edit and add to the input information during the dialogue.
 8. Amethod for collecting input information from responses including voiceresponses provided by a person through a telephonic dialogue between theperson and a computerized communication system comprising the stepsof:storing predetermined audio information in a digital memory, saidaudio information comprising questions and statements for carrying outsaid dialogue with the person; providing with computer means apredetermined sequence of audio signals generated from saidpredetermined audio information; providing a telephonic connectionbetween the person and the computer means and providing anelectronically modified form of the person's responses to the statementsand questions to the computer means; determining if the person hasprovided a response and if the response is of sufficient duration and ifnot, outputting selected audio message signals to the person responsiveto the audio signals provided by the computer means, said step ofoutputting further including generating audio signals giving the personan option to selectively verify, correct, edit and add to the inputinformation; and collecting the modified form of the input informationin digital storage means from the person, and providing selectedportions of the input information stored in the digital storage means tothe person for giving the person the option to selectively verify,correct, edit and add to the input information.
 9. A method forcollecting input information from responses including voice responses ofa person through a telephonic dialogue between the person and acomputerized communication system comprising the steps of:storingpredetermined audio information, the audio information comprisingdigital data comprising questions and statements for carrying out thedialogue with the person; providing with computer means a predeterminedsequence of audio signals generated from the predetermined audioinformation the computer means executing a predetermined program ofoperation to generate the predetermined sequence of audio signals;providing a telephonic connection between the person and the computermeans; providing an electronically modified form of the responses of theperson to the computer means; outputting audio message signals to theperson responsive to the audio signals provided from the computer means;collecting the input information and analyzing the input information todetermine if the person has provided a response and if the response isof sufficient duration and if not, providing a selected audio signal toprovide the person with an audio message signal to selectively requestmore of the input information to complete the dialogue, and furthercomprising the step of providing selected portions of the inputinformation to the person during the dialogue to enable the person todetermine the accuracy of the input information.
 10. A method forcollecting input information from responses including voice responsesinput by a person in a telephonic dialogue between the person and acomputerized communication system comprising the steps of:completing atelephonic connection between the person and the system; storingpredetermined audio information in a digitized form, the audioinformation comprising questions and statements for carrying out thedialogue with the person; providing a predetermined sequence of audiosignals responsive to the predetermined audio information; outputtingaudio message signals to the person responsive to the sequence of audiosignals from the computer means and presenting the person withselectable options in the audio message signals for providing the inputinformation to the system and for giving the person the option toselectively verify, correct, edit and add to the input information;collecting the input information and associating the input informationwith (a) the degree of operator involvement in the dialogue, and (b) thetime required to complete the dialogue; providing selected portions ofsaid input information to the person during the dialogue for allowingthe person the opportunity to selectively verify, correct, edit and addto the input information; and statistically analyizing the inputinformation and correlating the input information to a file related tothe person. .Iadd.11. A computerized communications system forcollecting input information from responses provided by a person througha telephonic dialogue between said person and said system, with thesystem being capable of receiving only voice responses from the person,comprising: means for storing predetermined audio information, saidaudio information comprising digital data comprising questions andstatements for carrying out said dialogue with the person; computermeans coupled to said means for storing for providing a predeterminedsequence of audio signals generated from said predetermined audioinformation supplied from said storing means; means for providing atelephonic connection between the person and said computer means, saidmeans for providing a telephonic connection including means for couplingto a telephone network and for providing the person's responses to thecomputer means; means coupled to said computer means and to said meansfor providing a telephonic connection for providing an electronicallymodified form of the person's responses to said computer means; audiomeans coupled to the computer means and to said means for providing atelephonic connection for outputting audio message signals to the personresponsive to said audio signals provided by said computer means, saidcomputer means comprising means for determining if the person hasprovided a complete response and if it is determined that the responseis not complete, for generating audio signals giving the person theoption to selectively verify, correct, edit, and add to said inputinformation; and digital storage means coupled to said computer meansfor collecting the modified form of said input information from theperson, said computer means providing selected portions of said inputinformation stored in said collecting means to the person during thedialogue for allowing the person the opportunity to selectively verify,correct, edit, and add to the input information. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. Acomputerized communications system for collecting input information fromresponses of a person through a telephonic dialogue between the personand said system, with the system being capable of receiving only voiceresponses from the person, comprising: means for storing predeterminedaudio information, said audio information comprising digital datacomprising questions and statements for carrying out said dialogue withthe person; computer means coupled to said means for storingpredetermined audio information for providing a predetermined sequenceof audio signals generated from said predetermined audio informationsupplied from said storing means, said computer means executing apredetermined program of operation to generate said predeterminedsequence of audio signal; means for providing a telephonic connectionbetween the person and said computer means; means coupled to the meansfor providing the telephonic connection and to the computer means forproviding an electronically modified form of the responses of the personto said computer means; audio means coupled to said means for providinga telephonic connection and to said computer means for outputting audiomessage signals to the person responsive to said audio signals providedfrom said computer means; and digital storage means coupled to saidcomputer means for collecting said input information, said computermeans comprising means for analyzing said input information to determineif the person has provided a complete response and if it is determinedthat the response is not complete, for providing a selected audio signalto said audio means to provide the person with an audio message signalto selectively request more of said input information to complete saiddialogue, said computer means further providing selected portions ofsaid input information stored in said digital storage means to theperson during said dialogue to enable the person to determine theaccuracy of the input information stored in said digital storage means..Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein saidcomputer means responsive to said predetermined audio informationprovides the person the option of selectively verifying and changingsaid input information. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. A computerizedcommunications system for collecting input information from responsesprovided by a person through a telephonic dialogue between the personand the system, with the system being capable of receiving only voiceresponses from the person, comprising: means for storing predeterminedaudio information, the audio information comprising digital datacomprising questions and statements for carrying out the dialogue withthe person; computer means coupled to the storing means for providing apredetermined sequence of audio signals generated from the predeterminedaudio information in the storing means; means for providing a telphonicconnection between the person and the computer means; means coupled tothe computer means and to the means for providing a telephonicconnection for supplying an electronically modified form of the person'sresponses to the computer means, said means for supplying comprisinganalog to digital conversion means and means for receiving tone signalsfrom the person's telephone; audio means coupled to the computer meansand to the means for providing a telephonic connection for providingaudio message signals to the person generated from the audio signalsfrom the computer means said audio mean including digital to analogconversion means; digital storage means for storing the inputinformation coupled to the analog to digital conversion means and tosaid computer means; and said computer means including means foranalyzing the input information from the person and for determining if aresponse exceeds a set maximum time limit or a period of silence in theresponse exceeds a preset minimum time limit, said computer meansfurther comprising means for evaluating the input information todetermine if the person has provided a complete response and if it isdetermined that the response is not complete, for providing a selectedaudio signal to the audio means to provide the person with an audiomessage signal to selectively request more of said input information tocomplete the dialogue, said computer means further providing selectedportions of said input information stored in said digital storage meansto the person during the dialogue to enable the person to determine theaccuracy of the input information stored in the digital storage means..Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The computerized communications system recited inclaim 14, wherein said computer means comprises means for generatingaudio signals giving the person the option to selectively verify,correct, edit, and add to the input information during the dialogue..Iaddend. .Iadd.16. A method for collecting input information fromresponses provided by a person through a telephonic dialogue between theperson and a computerized communication system, with a system operatingaccording to the method being capable of receiving only voice responses,comprising the steps of: storing predetermined audio information in adigital memory, said audio information comprising questions andstatements for carrying out said dialogue with the person; providingwith computer means a predetermined sequence of audio signals generatedfrom said predetermined audio information; providing a telephonicconnection between the person and the computer means and providing anelectronically modified form of the person's responses to the statementsand questions to the computer means; determining if the person hasprovided a complete response and if it is determined that the responseis not complete, outputting selected audio message signals to the personresponsive to the audio signals provided by the computer means, saidstep of outputting further including generating audio signals giving theperson an option to selectively verify, correct, edit, and add to theinput information; and collecting the modified form of the inputinformation in digital storage means from the person, and providingselected portions of the input information stored in the digital storagemeans to the person for giving the person the option to selectivelyverify, correct, edit, and add to the input information. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. A method for collecting input information from responses of aperson through a telephonic dialogue between the person and acomputerized communication system, with a system operating according tothe method being capable of receiving only voice responses, comprisingthe steps of: storing predetermined audio information, the audioinformation comprising digital data comprising questions and statementsfor carrying out the dialogue with the person; providing with computermeans a predetermined sequence of audio signals generated from thepredetermined audio information, the computer means executing apredetermined program of operation to generate the predeterminedsequence of audio signals; providing a telephonic connection between theperson and the computer means; providing an electronically modified formof the responses of the person to the computer means; outputting audiomessage signals to the person responsive to the audio signals providedfrom the computer means; andcollecting the input information andanalyzing the input information to determine if the person has provideda complete response and if it is determined that the response is notcomplete, providing a selected audio signal to provide the person withan audio message signal to selectively request more of the inputinformation to complete the dialogue, and further comprising the step ofproviding selected portions of the input information to the personduring the dialogue to enable the person to determine the accuracy ofthe input information. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. A method for collecting inputinformation from responses of a person through a telephonic dialoguebetween the person and a computerized communication system, with asystem operating according to the method being capable of receiving onlyvoice responses, comprising the steps of: storing predetermined audioinformation, the audio information comprising digital data comprisingquestions and statements for carrying out the dialogue with the person;providing with computer means a predetermined sequence of audio signalsgenerated from the predetermined audio information the computer meansexecuting a predetermined program of operation to generate thepredetermined sequence of audio signals; providing a telephonicconnection between the person and the computer means; providing anelectronically modified form of the responses of the person to thecomputer means; outputting audio message signals to the personresponsive to the audio signals provided from the computer means;collecting the modified form of the input information in digital storagemeans from the person; and analyzing the input information fordetermining if a response exceeds a set maximum time limit or a periodof silence in the response exceeds a preset minimum time limit andfurther evaluating the input information to determine if the person hasprovided a complete response and if it is determined that the responseis not complete, providing a selected audio signal to provide the personwith an audio message signal to selectively request more of said inputinformation to complete the dialogue, and further comprising the step ofproviding selected portions of the input information stored in saiddigital storage means to the person during the dialogue to enable theperson to determine the accuracy of the input information. .Iaddend.